Town Board meeting turns ugly after discrepancy found in last months meeting minutes

STAFFORD

Town Board meeting turns ugly after discrepancy found in last months meeting minutes

A large group of Stafford residents showed up in force at Monday nights regular Stafford Town Board meeting.

The residents were upset about a discrepancy that was found in the minutes of last months public hearing regarding a local law to amend the town's zoning law to include protection from hydro fracking, drilling, dumping and fracking waste.

During last month's public hearing, Attorney David Slottje answered questions about the proposed changes. Slottje, working pro bono, was asked by the Town of Stafford to rewrite the zoning laws to protect the town.

Slottje has done this in 250 other towns across NYS.

After a three hour meeting, changes were made to the law and it had to be rewritten.

Town Attorney Kevin Earl said the whole process of rewriting and resubmitting the the law should take about two months and the board can then move forward after revisions are made

Town resident Sandra Swanson, after reading the written minutes, noticed that the local law was tabled. To table means to move for postponement of consideration; a proposal to suspend consideration of a pending motion.

Town Supervisor Robert Clement told Swanson he listed it as tabled. Swanson requested the minutes be corrected to reflect what happened in last months meeting.

The residents then wondered why the proposed local law was not on Monday nights agenda for discussion.

That is when residents and board members began to argue over the proposed hydro-fracking law.

This video clip shows how the exchange went
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Board member Ronald Panek tries to explain why it was not on the agenda. But for residents his explanation was not good enough.

Supervisor Robert Clement then called upon Town Zoning Officer Lester Mullen for help. That is when resident Beth Carr jumped into the conversation and did not allow Mullen to finish his thoughts.

Eventually it was determined that a workshop session should happen to discuss the issues with the new proposed zoning laws.

It is scheduled for the morning of April 25, 2015 at the Town Hall.

The proposed law has been rewritten and will be viewed by the Stafford Planning Board, the Town Board and then be submitted to the County Planning Board for approval.

A public hearing will then be conducted and the Town Board can then vote on the proposed law.